Shelf-support.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD PAULLE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SHELF-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,125, dated July 9, 1901. Application filed January 29,1900. Serial No. 3,087. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD PAULLE, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shelf-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to devices for supporting shelves for bookcases, racks, and like articles; and one object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the shelves which will permit their vertical adjustment according to the height of the book or other article that is placed upon them.

A further object is to' provide a support which can be easily and quickly placed in position to receive the shelf, which will occupy but little space in the case, and not interfere with the insertion or removal of the books.

A still further and particular object is to provide a very simple form of support that will be inexpensive to manufacture, though capable of sustaining the weight of a heavilyloaded shelf, and a support that will present a neat ornamental appearance when in use.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as here inafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of a bookcase with my invention applied thereto, the facing-strips being removed. Fig. 2 is avertical section on the line a: w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal section showing the corners of the case and the supports in position therein. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section of a' portion of one end of the case. Fig. 5 is an interior view of the corner of the case. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the support, the end of the shelf being in* cluded by dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a'perspec= tive of a modification, showing the front and rear support connected. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the support, showing a modification of a rib therein.

In the drawings, 2 represents the base of the bookcase, having the sides 3 and top 4. At intervals in the sides 3, in their front and rear edges, I provide a series of narrow slots or saw-slits 5, which are concealed at the ends of the case by the facings 6 and the front of the case by the narrow facing-strips 7, that are glued or otherwise suitably secured to the forward edges of the sides 3. The partition 8, dividing the interior of the case, is also pro vided with a series of slits in its front'and rear edges, those in the forward edge being concealed in the same manner as described with reference to the sides 3. The slits in the sides of the case and in its partitions are made of sufficient length to receive a thin lip or flange 9, provided on .a platelO, and an oppositely-projecting lip 11 is also provided 'on the plate '10, whereon the end of the shelf is supported. This plate may be cast, but is preferably stamped out of sheet metal, the lips being formed by bending the ends of the plate in opposite directions and at substan* tially right angles to the main portion of the plate. I provide one of these plates for each saw-slit, supporting each corner of the shelf. Where a case is used with vertical partitions and several rows of shelves, I provide partitions of sufficient thickness to permit the lips 9 to be inserted into the saw-slits upon opposite sides of the partitions; but, if preferred, athicker partition may be used and the supports arranged so that the lips will lap by each other in the slits.

In order that the supports may be wedged in the saw-slits and prevented from dropping out accidentally, I prefer to provide a rib 12 in the surface of each lip 9, by means of which the lip will be firmly wedged in the saw-slit. Instead of providing a rib I may roughen the surface of the lip or provide a series of pro jections thereon.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a slightmodification, which consists in connecting the lips or flanges 11 on the supports by a bar 13, form ing with said lips a'continuous support beneath the end of the shelf. This form of support may be cast, if preferred, but is preferably stamped from sheet metal, as above do scribed. The depth of the plate 10 or the vertical portion of the support is made to correspond substantially with the thickness of the shelf, so that when the shelf is placed in po sition in the case it will be substantially flush with the lip 9 or a little above it, if preferred, and as the lips 11 fit snugly under the ends of the shelf the support will be rendered practically invisible. As the ends of the shelf bear against the plate 10, it will be impossible for the supports to slip out of the saw-slits while the shelf isin use, and the lips-9 being wedged in the slits will hold the supports therein before the shelves have been placed in position or while they are being adjusted.

This device, while being very simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, is capable of sustaining the weight of a heavilyloaded shelf and does not project into the case, where it would be in the way of the in: sertion or removal of articles that are kept on the shelves.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A shelf support, comprising a sheet metal plate having oppositely-turned ends forming integral lips or flanges, one of said lips being provided with a rib in its surface and adapted to enter a saw-slit in the wall of the case and the other lip adapted to project under the end of the shelf and support it and the weight thereon,substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a shelfsupport, comprising a single strip or plate of sheet metal having its ends oppositely turned substantially at right angles to its middle portion, one of said ends being adapted to enter a saw-slit-in the end wall of the case and having a roughened surface to prevent said end from accidentally slipping out of said slit and the opposite end being adapted to project under the end of the shelf and support it and the weight thereon ,substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a shelfsupport, comprising sheet-metal plates havin g their ends oppositely turned substantially at right angles to their middle portions, the upper ends being adapted to enter saw slits or cuts in the end Wall of the case and the LEONARD PAULLE.

In presence of- RICHARD PAUL, J. B. MURDOCH. 

